Petunia plant named ‘Velvet Blue Wren’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Velvet Blue Wren’, characterized by its initially upright then outwardly spreading and trailing plant habit; freely and continuous branching growth habit; dark green leaves; relatively early flowering; and dark-violet-colored flowers that are velvety in texture.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name Velvet Blue Wren.

The new Petunia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Emerald, Victoria, Australia. The new Petunia originatedfrom a cross made by the Inventor of a proprietary selection ofPetunia×hybrida identified as code number 4290 as the female, or seed,parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified ascode number 892 as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia wasselected in October, 1993 on the basis of its unique flower color andvelvet-like petal texture.

Plants of the new Petunia are more outwardly spreading and differ inflower color compared to plants of the female parent selection. Comparedto plants of the male parent selection, plants of the new Petunia havesmaller flowers, smaller leaves and also differ in flower color.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken atEmerald, Victoria, Australia, has shown that the unique features of thisnew Petunia are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Velvet Blue Wren have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity,daylength, and fertility level without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Velvet Blue Wren’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Velvet Blue Wren’ as a newand distinct cultivar:

1. Initially upright then outwardly spreading and trailing plant habit;compact.

2. Freely and continuous branching.

3. Dark green leaves.

4. Relatively early flowering.

5. Dark violet-colored flowers that are velvety in texture.

Plants of the cultivar Velvet Blue Wren can be compared to plants of thecultivar Revolution Violet, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,342.However in side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor inEmerald, Victoria, Australia, plants of the cultivar Velvet Blue Wrenhave darker violet-colored flowers and flower earlier than plants of thecultivar Revolution Violet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which more accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Petunia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a top perspective viewof typical flowering plants of ‘Velvet Blue Wren’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical opened flower from the top and side perspectives, upper andlower surfaces of typical leaves, and a typical opening flower bud of‘Velvet Blue Wren’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants grown in 25-cmcontainers were used for the following description with three plants percontainer. Plants were grown under full sun field conditions whichclosely approximate commercial production conditions during the springin Bonsall, Calif. Day temperatures ranged from 13 to 35° C. and nighttemperatures ranged from 7 to 18° C.

Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida cultivar Velvet Blue Wren.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified ascode number 4290, not patented.

Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as codenumber 892, not patented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.

Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 12 to 18 days at 22° C.

Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 15 to 21 days at 22° C.

Rooting habit.—Numerous, fine, fibrous, and well-branched.

Plant description:

Form.—Indeterminate; compact; initially upright, then outwardlyspreading and trailing; viscid and glandular pubescent.

Usage.—Appropriate for hanging baskets and patio containers.

Crop time.—About 8 weeks are required to produce finished floweringplants in 10-cm containers.

Plant height (from soil level to top of plant plane).—About 15.5 cm.

Area of spread.—About 23 cm.

Vigor.—Moderate to vigorous.

Branching habit.—Freely branching with about seven or eight lateralbranches per plant; removal of terminal apices (pinching) enhancesbranching.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 17 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Internodelength: About 2.8 cm. Texture: Pubescent; viscid, glandular. Color: 144Ato 144B.

Foliage description.—Leaves simple, generally symmetrical and longpersisting. Leaf arrangement alternate before flowering, opposite afterflowering. Quantity per lateral branch: Typically about 12. Length:About 3.75 cm. Width: About 2.25 cm. Aspect: Typically horizontal.Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Broadly acute to rounded. Base: Attenuate.Margin: Entire. Texture: Sparse pubescence on both surfaces; glandular,viscid. Color: Young foliage, upper surface: 137C. Young foliage, lowersurface: 137D. Mature foliage, upper surface: 137A; venation, 137D.Mature foliage, lower surface: 137D; venation, 137D. Petiole: Length:About 5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Color: 144B.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Medium-sized flowers; flowers face mostly upward;single, axillary. Flowers persistent. Flowering continuous.

Natural flowering season.—Long day responsive; flowering from springthrough fall. Plants starting flowering about four to six weeks afterrooting.

Quantity.—Freely flowering with about 20 flowers and flower buds perplant.

Fragrance.—None detected.

Flower longevity on the plant.—Good, about 3 to 5 days.

Flower buds (just showing color).—Length: About 2.8 cm. Diameter: About8 mm. Shape: Elongate, roughly ovate with slightly ruffled apex. Color:79D to 79C.

Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five petals, fused intoflared trumpet, slightly ruffled. Flower diameter: About 5 by 5.3 cm.Flower tube length: About 3 cm. Flower throat diameter, distal end:About 1 cm. Flower tube diameter, proximal end; About 3 mm. Petal lengthfrom throat: Upper three petal lobes, about 2.2 cm; lower two petallobes, about 2.5 cm. Petal width: About 2.5 cm. Petal shape: Rounded,spatulate. Petal apex; Rounded and very slightly sinuate. Petal margin:Entire. Texture: Smooth and very velvet-like. Color: Petal, uppersurface, when opening: 79A. Petal, lower surface, when opening: 79D to79C; central creases, 79A. Petal, upper surface, opened flower: Slightlybrighter than 79B to 83A; veins, 79B to 83A. Petal, lower surface,opened flower: 79C; veins, 79B; central creases, 79A. Flower throat(inside); Ground, 83D; veins, 83A. Flower tube (outside): Ground, 83B to83C; veins, 83A; base, 144D.

Sepals.—Quantity: Five. Shape: Strap-like or narrowly elliptic. Apex:Rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth; glandular, viscid. Color:Upper surface: 137B. Lower surface: 137D.

Peduncle.—Strength: Moderately strong. Angle: Upright to about 45°,dependent on lateral stem orientation. Length: About 4 cm. Color: 144B.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Stamen number per flower/arrangement:About five; adnate to corolla tube base. Anther shape: Ovoid. Antherlength: About 2 mm. Anther color: 156A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollencolor: 156B. Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:About 2.3 cm. Stigma shape: Flattened; slightly bi-lobate. Stigma color:138A. Style length: About 2 cm. Style color: 144B. Ovary color: 144D.

Seed.—Seed production has not been observed.

Disease resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been noted to beresistant to pathogens common to Petunia.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named‘Velvet Blue Wren’, as illustrated and described.